Random pattern shingle

ABSTRACT

A strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with adjacent superposed courses offset to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles, said strip shingle having, in its exposed area and its lower edge, slots defining tabs of different widths and lengths with some of the tabs having long and short length portions, the slots in a plurality of the courses being out of vertical alignment with one another.

United States Patent 11 1 Allen et al.

[111 3,927,501 Dec. 23, 1975 RANDOM PATTERN SHINGLE 2,171,010 8/1939 Schuetz et al. 52/555 2,174,098 9/1939 Stein 52/559 [75] Inventorsf Allen cumbeflalldi 2,199,760 /1940 Schuetz....- 52/555 CW0"! Patenaude, Plamvflle, 3,407,556 /1968 Leibrook 52/559 MaSS- 3,407,557 10/1968 Shaw 52/555 [73] Assignee: Bird & Son, Inc., East Walpole,

Mass Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell [22] F1led: Jan. 15, 1975 [57] ABSTRACT PP 541,283 A strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed 52 US. Cl. 52/555- 52/314- 52/105- courses in a predetermined assembly with adjacent 52/559 perposed courses offset to simulate the appearance of 51 Im. c1. E04D 1/26- EO4D l/36 rand width and multiple length wood Shingles said 58 Field of Search 52/105 314 553-559 Strip Shingle having in its exposed area and its Ower edge, slots defining tabs of different widths and [56]. References Cited lengths with some of the tabs having long and short length portions, the slots in a plurality of the courses UNITED STATES PATENTS being out of vertical alignment with one another. 1,495,070 5/1924 Finley 52/555 1,870,414 8/1932 Levin et al. 52 559 12 Clalmsi 6 Drawing Flgllres /31 32 37 57 I I\ 57 33 34 I 35 44 45 4e 4e 54 l 55 X 47 49 42 62 52 63 43 U.S. Patent Dec. 23, 1975 Sheet 1 of 3 3,927,501

FIG I FIG 2 FIG 3 v 1 Mi 1 v H l; E 5; T ||fi l r A P p ll W. a LJTIJ 2 T U.S. Patent Dec. 23, 1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,927,501

FIG 4 US. Patent Dec. 23, 1975 Sheet 3 of3 3,927,501

w GE

RANDOM PATTERN SHINGLE This invention relates to shingles and roof covering assemblies thereof. More particularly, it relates to a novel multitab strip shingle, which, when assembled with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a laterally offset predetermined assembly, simulates the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles.

In recent years, many attempts have been made to produce the conventional granule surfaced asphalt saturated strip shingle in a form which simulates the appearance of random width and length wood shingles. These attempts have usually taken the form of multiple tabs of differing widths along the lower exposed surface of the conventional strip shingle, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,171,010, for example, and also include the use of mirror image pairs of strip shingles as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,407,556 in order to improve the randomness of the assembled pattern. All of these attempts have proved to be somewhat deficient in producing the desired random pattern, especially when viewed in a diagonal direction, and the utilization of pairs of different shingles has the further defect of being more difficult in commercial practice to apply to a roof than are identical shingles.

Accordingly, it is a major object of the present invention to provide a novel multitab strip shingle wherein identical shingles can be assembled on a roof in a predetermined assembly to simulate the random appearance of wood shingles.

This is uniquely accomplished, according to the pres ent invention, by providing a strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly, with adjacent superposed courses laterally offset, to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles, said strip shingle having side butt edges, an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge.

The strip shingle of the invention has, in said exposed area and said lower edge, at least two, and preferably four slots defining at least three, and preferably five tabs, including outer tabs with at least one intermediate tab therebetween and preferably a central tab and two intermediate tabs. The outer tabs are of width greater than the center and intermediate tabs. The lower edges of at least some of the tabs, including the outer tabs, are defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths. One of the outer tabs, at its end adjacent an intermediate tab, has a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of the outer tab of short length. The other of the outer tabs, at its end adjacent an intermediate tab, has a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of said other outer tab of long length. In the preferred embodiment, the intermediate tabs are of generally equal width and the central tab is of a width greater than the intermediate tabs.

The lower edges of the tabs are defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths in complementary symmetry about the imaginary center line of the shingle. Preferably, the central tabhas one long and one short length portion of equal width, with the junction of the portions at the center line; the intermediate tab adjacent the central tab short length portion is of short length and the intermediate tab adjacent the central tab long length portion is of long length; the outer tab adjacent the short length intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, has a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of the outer tab of short length; and the outer tab adjacent the long length intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, has a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of the outer tab of long length.

A roof covering according to the present invention comprises a plurality of identical strip shingles according to the invention laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles, preferably in at least four overlapping superposed courses, in a predetermined assembly with each superposed course laterally offset, preferably by about one-sixth of its width, until the center of a given shingle is reached, so that the course is offset by half a shingle width to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles and break up the effect of diagonal patterning; the upper unexposed area has alignment marks for aligning the slots in the courses out of vertical alignment with one another, preferably by a centerline distance between the slots of greater than the width of the slots, and, more preferably, at least 15/16 of an inch.

For the purpose of more fully explaining further objects and features of the invention, reference is now made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the shingle of the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are plan views of a roof covering assembled from the shingles of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the shingle of FIG. 1 with its preferred dimensions indicated thereon;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of two identical strip shingles of FIG. 1, interfitted in complementary relationship in which they are manufactured, and

FIG. 6 is a detailed plan view of the roof covering of FIG. 2 of four overlapping courses of the shingle of FIGS. 1 and 4 in a predetermined assembly with each superposed course offset by about one-sixth of its width until its center is reached so that the course is offset by half a shingle width to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, in that Figure is shown, in plan view, a shingle according to the invention which is adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in over-lapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with superposed courses laterally offset to stimulate the attractive appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles.

The shingle 11 of the invention may be a strip of conventional granule surfaced asphalt saturated material, with an upper edge 31, and upper side butt edges 32 and 33 defining an upper unexposed area 36 and lower side butt edges 34 and 35 defining a lower exposed area 38 with a lower edge, dashed line 39 indicating the imaginary demarkation between said areas. The upper and lower side butt edges are preferably stepped at their junction both for alignment and for defining the preferred overlap along line 39 during application.

According to the present invention, each shingle 11 has in its lower exposed area 38 and its lower edge, at least two and preferably four slots of equal width symmetrically spaced from an imaginary vertical center line 40 defining five tabs symmetrically located with 3 respect to center line 40 including outer tabs 42 and 43 with outer half width slots 44 and 45 on side butt edges 34 and 35, respectively, a central tab 52 containing imaginary center line 40 and a single intermediate tab 62 and 63 between central tab 52 and each of outer tabs 42 and 43 with inner slots 64 and 65 between central tab 52 and intermediate tabs 62 and 63, respectively, and outer slots 66 and 67 between intermediate tabs 62 and 63 and outer tabs 42 and 43, respectively.

The outer tabs 42 and 43 are of generally equal width greater than central tab 52 and intermediate tabs 62 and 63. Intermediate tabs 62 and 63 are of generally equal width and central tab 52 is of a width greater than intermediate tabs 62 and 63.

The lower edges of the tabs are defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths in complementary symmetry about center line 40 of shingle 11. More specifically, central tab 52 has one long length tab portion 54 and one short length tab portion 55, both of equal width, with the junction of said portions at center line 40. The intermediate tab 63 adjacent central tab short length portion 55 is of short length and the intermediate tab 62 adjacent central tab long length portion 54 is of long length. Outer tab 43 adjacent the short length intermediate tab 63, at its end adjacent thereto, has a narrow width tab portion of long length 47 with the remainder of said outer tab being a short length portion 49. Outer tab 42 adjacent the long length intermediate tab 62, at its end adjacent thereto, has a narrow width tab portion of short length 46 with the remainder of outer tab 42 being a long length portion 48.

As a specifically dimensioned preferred example, illustrated in FIG. 4, shingle 11 has a width of about 36 1% inches; outer tabs 42 and 43 have a width of about 7/16 inches; with the narrow portions 46 and 47 thereof having a width of about 2 inches; intermediate tabs 62 and 63 have a width of about 4 V; inches; and central tab 52 has a width about 7 inches equally divided beween short and long portions. Alignment marks 37 are provided at about 6 inch intervals along top edge 31, with the center alignment mark on center line 40. Slots 64, 65, 66 and 67 are about 5 inch wide, and the difference between the long and short tab portions is about inch.

As shown in FIG. 5, two of the shingles 11 and 11 of the invention, being of complementary symmetry about imaginary center line 40, may be manufactured without waste except for slot scrap, from a strip of material, wherein upper edges 31 and 31' define the outer edges of the strip of material, with the lower edges of the tab being cut to define the lower edges of two identical shingles l1 and 11'.

In FIGS. 2 and 3 are illustrated, respectively, right and left roof coverings according to the invention, each comprising a plurality of identical strip shingles, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in four overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with each superposed course laterally offset by about one-sixth of its width until its center is reached so that the course is offset by half a shingle width to break up the effect of diagonal patterning and to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles with the slots in all four courses out of vertical alignment with one another by at least about /16 inch (FIG. 6) in order to eliminate vertical patterning.

The roof coverings of FIGS. 2 and 3 differ in their direction of laying from the roof edge, that of FIG. 2 being laid from the left side of the roof and that of FIG. 3 being laid from the right side of the roof. The pattern in each direction is different, but the other criteria remain the same.

In each case, an appropriate underlayment is first provided along the lower edge of the roof.

To lay the shingles of the invention from the left sideof the roof, as illustrated in FIG. 2: start and continue the first course with full width shingles 11, 11'', etc. of 36 Va inch width; start the second course with a shingle 12 which has 6 inch cut off the left edge to the first aligning mark 37 and then continue with full shingles 12, etc.; start the third course with a shingle 13 which has 12 7/16 inch cut off the left edge to the second aligning mark 37 and then continue with full shingles 13, etc.; start the fourth course with a shingle 14 which has 18 7/16 inch cut off the left edge to the third (center) aligning mark 37 and then continue with full shingles 14', etc.; and start and continue the fifth course with full shingles 15, 15, etc.; and continue to repeat the application method as described above for second, third, fourth, and fifth courses.

To lay the shingles of the invention from the right side of the roof, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6: start and continue the first course with full width shingles 11, 11', etc. of 36 /2 inch width; start the second course with a shingle 12 which has 5 inch cut off the right edge to the first aligning mark 37 and then continue with full shingles 12, etc.; start the third course with a shingle 13 which has 11 11/16 inch cut off the right edge to the second aligning mark 37 and then continue with full shingles 13', etc.; start the fourth course with a shingle 14 which has 17 11/16 inch cut off the right edge to the third (center) aligning mark 37 and then continue with full shingles 14', etc.; and start and continue the fifth course with full shingles 15, 15, etc.; and continue to repeat the application method as described above for second, third, fourth and fifth courses.

The shingle is applied with 4 nails per shingle, inch above the top of the slots but never over the slots and 1-% and 12- 6 inches in from the ends of the shingle. 12-56 inches in from the ends corresponds to a location over the center of the intermediate shingle tabs 62 and 63.

With each of the above described applications, the centerline position of the 741 inch wide slots of each shingle on each set of four shingle courses is offset by at least 15/16 inch, as illustratedin FIG. 6, for elimination of vertical patterning. The long and short tab lengths along the bottom edge effectively eliminate diagonal patterning. The side lap between the nearest slot to the nearest end joint is at least 3 A inches to prevent leakage.

With the preferred shingle of the example, illustrated in FIG. 4, laid from the right side of the roof, as illustrated in FIG. 3 and in more detail in the dimensioned FIG. 6, the spacings in inches are as appear in the following tabulation:

Centerline spacing between A inch wide slots based on exposed width of 36 Va: 10 7/16, 4 Va, 7, 4 s, 10 7/16. Centerline spacing between the aligning marks based on exposed width of 36 Va: 6, 61/16, 6, 6, 6 l/l6, 6. Exposed width 36 /5 inches. Overall width 36 1% inches.

First Course Second Course Third Course Fourth Course 12 5/16 length 12 5/16 length 12 5/16 length 12 5/16 length 36 1/8 width 30 1/8 width 24 l/l6 width 18 l/16 width Slots Slots Slots Slots 7/16 4 7/16 21/2 31/2 14 9/16 8 9/16 91/2 7 5/8 219/16 9/16 13 5/8 181/16 2511/16 1911/16 '24 1/16 281/2 361/8 30-1/8 341/2 32 5/8 46 9/16 40 9/16 38 5/8 39 5/8 5011/16 4411/16 45 5/8 43 3/4 5711/16 5111/16 49 3/4 54 3/16 6113/16 5513/16 60 3/16 72 1/4 66 U4 Minimum Minimum Courses Centerline Spacing of Centerline Spacing of Slots Over End Joints Slots Over Slots The random appearance of wood shingles may be accentuated by providing shadow stripes at the bottom edge and upper portion of the exposed area of the random pattern shingle of the invention. These shadow stripes can be in reference to the overall exposed area .either lighter at the top and darker at the bottom edge or any other combination to produce the desired effect.

What is claimed is:

l. A strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with adjacent superposed courses laterally offset to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles said strip shingle having side butt edges an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge said strip shingle having in said exposed area and said lower edge at least two slots defining at least three tabs including outer tabs and at least one intermediate tab therebetween said outer tabs being of width greater than said intermediate tab the lower edges of at least some of said tabs including said outer tabs being defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths one of said outer tabs, at its end adjacent a said intermediate tab, having a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of said outer tab being of short length and the other of said outer tabs, at its end adjacent a said intermediate tab, having a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of said outer tab being of long length said slots in a plurality of said courses being out of vertical alignment with one another.

2. A strip shingle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shingle contains a vertical center line said slots and said tabs are symmetrically spaced with respect to said center line and said discrete long and short tab lengths are in complementary symmetry about said center line.

3. A strip shingle as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least one of said intermediate tabs is a central tab containing said center line.

4. A strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with adjacent superposed courses laterally offset to simulate the apperance of random width and multiple length wood shingles said strip shingle having side butt edges an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge said strip shingle having in said exposed area and said lower edge at least two slots defining at least three tabs including outer tabs on said side butt edges and a central tab said outer tabs being of width greater than said central tab the lower edges of at least some of said tabs including said outer and central tabs being defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths said central tab having at least one long and one short length portion said outer tab adjacent said short length portion of said central tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of said outer tab being of short length and said outer tab adjacent said long length portion of said central tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of said outer tab being of long length said slots in a plurality of said courses being out of vertical alignment with one another.

5. A strip shingle as claimed in claim 4 wherein said shingle contains a vertical center line said central tab contains said center line said slots and said tabs are symmetrically spaced with respect to said center line v said discrete long and short tab lengths are in complementary symmetry about said center line and a junction of said long and short length portions of said central tab is at said center line.

6. A strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with adjacent superposed courses laterally offset to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood 7 shingles said strip shingle having side butt edges an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge said strip shingle having in said exposed area and said lower edge at least four slots of equal width defining at least five tabs including outer tabs on said side butt edges, a central tab and intermediate tabs therebetween said outer tabs being of width greater than said central and intermediate tabs and said central tab being of a width greater than said intermediate tabs the lower edges of at least some of said tabs including said outer and central tabs being defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths said central tab having at least one long and one short length portion said outer tab adjacent said short length portion of said intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of said outer tab being of short length and said outer tab adjacent said long length portion of said intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of said outer tab being of long length said slots in said four courses being out of vertical alignment with one another by a distance greater than the width of said slots.

7. A strip shingle as claimed in claim 6 wherein said shingle contains a vertical center line said central tab contains said center line said slots and said tabs are symmetrically spaced with respect to said center line said discrete long and short tab lengths are in complementary symmetry about said center line a junction of said long and short length portions of said central tab is at said center line one of said intermediate tabs at one side of said central tab is of short length and another of said intermediate tabs at the other side of said central tab is of long length.

8. A strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with adjacent superposed courses laterally offset to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles said strip shingle having a center line side butt edges an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge said strip shingle having in said exposed area and said lower edge four slots of equal width symmetrically spaced from said center line defining five tabs symmetrically located with respect to said center line including outer tabs with half width slots on said side butt edges, a central tab containing said center line and a single intermediate tab between said central tab and each of said outer tabs said outer tabs being of generally equal width greater than said central and intermediate tabs said intermediate tabs being of generally equal width and said central tab being of a width greater than said intermediate tabs the lower edges of said tabs being defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths in complementary symmetry about said center line of said shingle said central tab having one long and one short length portion of equal width, with the junction of said portions at said center line said intermediate tab adjacent said central tab short length portion being of short length and said intermediate tab adjacent said central tab long length portion being of long length said outer tab adjacent said short length intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of said outer tab being of short length and said outer tab adjacent said long length intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of said outer tab being of long length said upper unexposed area having alignment marks for aligning said slots in said four courses out of vertical alignment with one another by a distance greater than the width of said slots.

9. A shingle as claimed in claim 8, wherein said side butt edges have complementary aligning steps.

10. A shingle as claimed in claim 8 wherein said shingle has a width of about 36 1% inches,

said outer tabs have a width of about 10 7/16 inches,

said intermediate tabs have a width of about 4 Vs inches said central tab has a width about 7 inches and said alignment marks are at about 6 inch intervals.

11. A shingle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said slots are about inch wide.

12. A roof covering comprising a plurality of identical strip shingles laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in at least four overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with each superposed course laterally offset by about one-sixth of its width until its center is reached to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles said strip shingles each having a center line side butt edges an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge each said strip shingle having in said exposed area and said lower edge four slots of equal width symmetrically spaced from said center line defining five tabs symmetrically located with respect to said center line including outer tabs with half width slots on said side butt edges, a central tab containing said center line and a single intermediate tab between said central tab and each of said outer tabs said outer tabs being of generally equal width greater than said central and intermediate tabs said intermediate tabs being of generally equal width and said central tabs being of a width greater than said intermediate tabs the lower edges of said tabs being defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths in complementary symmetry about said center line of said shingle said central tab having one long and one short length portion of equal width, with the junction of said portions at said center line said intermediate tab adjacent said central tab short length portion being of short length and said intermediate tab adjacent said central tab long length portion being of long length said outer tab adjacent said short length intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of said outer tab being of short length than the width of said slots. 

1. A strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with adjacent superposed courses laterally offset to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles said strip shingle having side butt edges an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge said strip shingle having in said exposed area and said lower edge at least two slots defining at least three tabs including outer tabs and at least one intermediate tab therebetween said outer tabs being of width greater than said intermediate tab the lower edges of at least some of said tabs including said outer tabs being defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths one of said outer tabs, at its end adjacent a said intermediate tab, having a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of said outer tab being of short length and the other of said outer tabs, at its end adjacent a said intermediate tab, having a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of said outer tab being of long length said slots in a plurality of said courses being out of vertical alignment with one another.
 2. A strip shingle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shingle contains a vertical center line said slots and said tabs are symmetrically spaced with respect to said center line and said discrete long and short tab lengths are in complementary symmetry about said center line.
 3. A strip shingle as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least one of said intermediate tabs is a central tab containing said center line.
 4. A strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with adjacent superposed courses laterally offset to simulate the apperance of random width and multiple length wood shingles said strip shingle having side butt edges an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge said strip shingle having in said exposed area and said lower edge at least two slots defining at least three tabs including outer tabs on said side butt edges and a central tab said outer tabs being of width greater than said central tab the lower edges of at least some of said tabs including said outer and central tabs being defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths said central tab having at least one long and one short length portion said outer tab adjacent said short length portion of said central tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of said outer tab being of short length and said outer tab adjacent said long length portion of said central tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of said outer tab being of long length said slots in a plurality of said courses being out of vertical alignment with one another.
 5. A strip shingle as claimed in claim 4 wherein said shingle contains a vertical center line said central tab contains said center line said slots and said tabs are symmetrically spaced with respect to said center line said discrete long and short tab lengths are in complementary symmetry about said center line and a junction of said long and short length portions of said central tab is at said center line.
 6. A strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with adjacent superposed courses laterally offset to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles said strip shingle having side butt edges an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge said strip shingle having in said exposed area and said lower edge at least four slots of equal width defining at least five tabs including outer tabs on said side butt edges, a central tab and intermediate tabs therebetween said outer tabs being of width greater than said central and intermediate tabs and said central tab being of a width greater than said intermediate tabs the lower edges of at least some of said tabs including said outer and central tabs being defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths said central tab having at least one long and one short length portion said outer tab adjacent said short length portion of said intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of said outer tab being of short length and said outer tab adjacent said long length portion of said intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of said outer tab being of long length said slots in said four courses being out of vertical alignment with one another by a distance greater than the width of said slots.
 7. A strip shingle as claimed in claim 6 wherein said shingle contains a vertical center line said central tab contains said center line said slots and said tabs are symmetrically spaced with respect to said center line said discrete long and short tab lengths are in complementary symmetry about said center line a junction of said long and short length portions of said central tab is at said center line one of said intermediate tabs at one side of said central tab is of short length and another of said intermediate tabs at the other side of said central tab is of long length.
 8. A strip shingle adapted to be laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with adjacent superposed courses laterally offset to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles said strip shingle having a center line side butt edges an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge said strip shingle having in said exposed area and said lower edge four slots of equal width symmetrically spaced from said center line defining five tabs symmetrically located with respect to said center line including outer tabs with half width slots on said side butt edges, a central tab containing said center line and a single intermediate tab between said central tab and each of said outer tabs said outer tabs being of generally equal width greater than said central and intermediate tabs said intermediate tabs being of generally equal width and said central tab being of a width greater than said intermediate tabs the lower edges of said tabs being defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths in complementary symmetry about said center line of said shingle said central tab having one long and one short length portion of equal width, with the junction of said portions at said center line said intermediate tab adjacent said central tab short length portion being of short length and said intermediate tab adjacent said central tab LONG length portion being of long length said outer tab adjacent said short length intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of said outer tab being of short length and said outer tab adjacent said long length intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of said outer tab being of long length said upper unexposed area having alignment marks for aligning said slots in said four courses out of vertical alignment with one another by a distance greater than the width of said slots.
 9. A shingle as claimed in claim 8, wherein said side butt edges have complementary aligning steps.
 10. A shingle as claimed in claim 8 wherein said shingle has a width of about 36 1/2 inches, said outer tabs have a width of about 10 7/16 inches, said intermediate tabs have a width of about 4 1/8 inches said central tab has a width about 7 inches and said alignment marks are at about 6 inch intervals.
 11. A shingle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said slots are about 1/4 inch wide.
 12. A roof covering comprising a plurality of identical strip shingles laid on a roof with other identical strip shingles in at least four overlapping superposed courses in a predetermined assembly with each superposed course laterally offset by about one-sixth of its width until its center is reached to simulate the appearance of random width and multiple length wood shingles said strip shingles each having a center line side butt edges an upper unexposed area and a lower exposed area with a lower edge each said strip shingle having in said exposed area and said lower edge four slots of equal width symmetrically spaced from said center line defining five tabs symmetrically located with respect to said center line including outer tabs with half width slots on said side butt edges, a central tab containing said center line and a single intermediate tab between said central tab and each of said outer tabs said outer tabs being of generally equal width greater than said central and intermediate tabs said intermediate tabs being of generally equal width and said central tabs being of a width greater than said intermediate tabs the lower edges of said tabs being defined by two discrete long and short tab lengths in complementary symmetry about said center line of said shingle said central tab having one long and one short length portion of equal width, with the junction of said portions at said center line said intermediate tab adjacent said central tab short length portion being of short length and said intermediate tab adjacent said central tab long length portion being of long length said outer tab adjacent said short length intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of long length with the remainder of said outer tab being of short length said outer tab adjacent said long length intermediate tab, at its end adjacent thereto, having a narrow width tab portion of short length with the remainder of said outer tab being of long length said slots in said four courses being out of vertical alignment with one another by a distance greater than the width of said slots. 